Influences
I woke up a couple of mornings ago to a “Memory” on Facebook. I’d posted two pictures (the two you see here) and related how the two buildings shown, and what went on inside them, had had such an impact on my life. They are of a church and a library, as you can see. My church. My library. The church and library of my youngest self.
My parents (sometimes) and grandparents (most of the time) took my sister and me to the church. Constructed of tan brick and complete with a three-story entry-way that suggested a battlement on a castle to me, I found the place inviting and delightful. I loved to go there. The kids met in the basement for programs geared to children before the actual formal church service began. After that, we met with whichever adults accompanied us for the main service. I preferred to sit in the large balcony, but was rarely able to until I got older and was allowed to join my friends there without my adults.
It was there, in that church, that I met Jesus and saw Him in people around me, and most particularly in my grandparents. It put me on a distinct and definite course, one I shamefully deviated from for a time but, happily, returned to.
It was my mother who took us to the library. I recognized it immediately as my heart’s home. Dedicated in 1905, it was (and still is, though no longer a library) a gorgeous building. It was made of a maroon-colored pressed brick from Kansas and gray sandstone from Tenino, Washington. I loved it then and I love to look at it still.
I suppose I was five, maybe six, on my first step through the heavy wooden front door. And I could never get back often enough. I learned to read early and I read a lot. Of course all my reading (anything and everything), along with the church involvement I’ve already mentioned – and school, it must be said – formed me into the older child, then adolescent, young woman, and eventual old-ager I’ve become. I owe a great debt to all who made those buildings available to me (the good, forward-looking citizens of that community, the architects, and the builders) and those who enabled me in my learning (parents, grandparents, pastors, teachers, librarians, and other interested, invested adults around me), many of whom I never met.
I’m reminded of this assertion by Solomon: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (and the same goes for “she” children – Proverbs 22:6, NIV). I can see this is true. Having been exposed at an early age to two institutions set up to provide learning, guidance, perspective, opportunity, a broad range of experiences and tales of others’ experiences, and direction, I’ve developed into who I am. The same is true for you as regards what you were exposed to early on.
Without the influences of our earliest childhoods, we’d be completely different people from who we are. I wouldn’t be me and you wouldn’t be you. And for my part, I can confidently say that I’ve changed little in my outlook and perspective over the years between then and now. I’ve stayed pretty much on the course set when I entered these two buildings for the first time and encountered religion and reading. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Are there buildings in your past that have impacted the trajectory of your life? Share with us. Include pictures if you have them.
8 Comments
Beth Kjeldgaard
Another wonderful blog post! 💗
ckarlstrom
Thank you, Beth!!
Trudie
Although I made a “long” comment ( I do not have the gift of saying what I’m thinking in a few, meaningful, words 🤭)like you so wonderfully do ) on your timeline, I do want to tell you I so enjoy your blogs…I really think you could write like Jan Koran and your own’s life story. I actually have 4 books and another in the making from some wonderful older friends…♥️🌹♥️
ckarlstrom
Trudie, I love your posts. I would argue that you DO have a way with words! Thanks so much for your kindness both here and on the FB page . . .
TAWNY SPORTSMAN
I love this Carolyn! It touched my heart and made me wish I could have had the same type of great start! I do have two buildings though. The first one was my grandpa’s house where I lived. It was a one room shack with a lean to and no indoor plumbing. But there was LOVE there and to me the most beautiful place I ever lived. The other one was the Walker Church. I would go there and read on the hillside amidst all the spring flowers, or find a dry spot if it was raining. It has always brought me peace and it’s a place where I feel I belong.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts so beautifully…and for getting the rest of us thinking!
You said to post pictures but I’m not sure how to do that on this page. I’ll post my little church on your FB feed.
ckarlstrom
Thank you so much for responding, Tawny. What beautiful memories, and I so appreciate your sharing them. I’d love to see the Walker church and just might someday – thanks for the directions on FB! Blessings upon you!!
Ginny Allen
I read this post when you first wrote it about church and the library at WWC and I responded but it disappeared before I could post it! It was beautifully written and I loved it but it made me do a lot of thinking! I have no church that has a part in my memories til I moved to Chicago and become SDA, except for Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Denver. It was a beautiful church and is on the list of historic places but it left me with mixed feelings. I remember so clearly all the times my teacher, Sister Clara Vincent, told me I was going to hell because I was not Catholic. A frightening prospect for a 7 year old! So no warm fuzzy memories there! And no grandparents who lovingly took me to church. I remember vaguely many libraries and how my sister and I would go where ever we lived to a library and we each checked out 7 books and each read all 14 so we could back and get 14 more. I think I told you I went to 12 schools in 12 years so I could never throw down roots, until we moved to Vancouver and that is why I never want to move! When I read your blog something within me was filled with a longing to have what you had! I have always longed to know where home was in my heart. It reminded me of all of the chaos of my childhood and I kept thinking of how blessed you were. I pictured myself living in a place like WWC and wondered how different my life would have been. But I also know you can’t change your past. But we both agreed our boys would go to no more than 2 schools and we made sure that is what happened! They kow where home is! I loved the picture you painted and thank you. Ginny
ckarlstrom
Oh, Ginny, thank you! I appreciate that you read these posts and always respond so thoughtfully. I’m going to get back to you privately. Love you❣️❣️❣️